Trending Now: China's Social Media Highlights #7April-13April#

Weibo

Risk Alert for Chinese Tourists Traveling to the U.S. Due to escalating tensions in China-U.S. trade relations and rising safety concerns within the U.S., the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has advised Chinese citizens to carefully assess risks before travelling to the United States. According to China Trading Desk’s forecast, approximately 819,000 Chinese visitors are expected to travel to the U.S. in the next six months. Read more

Qingming Holiday Sees 126 Million Domestic Trips During the 3-day Qingming Festival holiday, China’s domestic tourism market remained safe and orderly. A total of 126 million domestic trips were recorded, a 6.3% YoY increase, with total tourism spending reaching ¥57.5 billion, up 6.7% YoY. Read more

Nationwide Expansion of “Instant Tax Refund” for Departing Tourists On April 8, the State Taxation Administration announced the nationwide rollout of the “buy-and-refund” departure tax refund service for foreign travellers, allowing tourists to receive tax rebates on-site at point-of-purchase rather than waiting until departure. Read more

Douyin

Record-breaking Qingming Holiday Mobility China recorded a staggering 790 million interregional passenger flows during Qingming Festival, with a daily average of 264 million, showcasing a strong recovery in national travel activity. Read more

24-Hour “Special Ops” Tokyo Trip A Douyin user documented a high-speed 24-hour round trip from Shanghai to Tokyo: flying in, enjoying local cuisine, shopping for cosmetics and fragrances, viewing cherry blossoms, and flying back—all within one day. China Trading Desk predicts Osaka will rank among the top 3 entry cities in the next 6 months with 22.96 million expected arrivals. Read more

Xiaohongshu

Jeju Island Blossoms in Cherry Season Jeju Island, covered in spring cherry blossoms, became a hot destination among Chinese tourists during Qingming. Ctrip reports that travel bookings to Jeju increased by 65%, making it one of the top outbound destinations this season. Read more

Baidu

Sharp Decline in Travel to the U.S. According to the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office, Chinese visitor numbers to the U.S. in March dropped 11.6% YoY, with major airports seeing nearly 20% fewer foreign arrivals. Read more

Instant Refund Policy Boosts Beauty Sector The “buy-and-refund” policy revitalized the duty-free sector. Shares of China Duty-Free and related companies surged. However, global beauty giants report continued sales pressure in Hainan and Korea due to weakened Chinese travel spending. Read more

Zhihu

Ministry Reiterates U.S. Travel Risk Warning The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reiterated its warning for travellers to the U.S. amid complex geopolitical and domestic safety issues, urging citizens to prioritize safer destinations. Read more

March CPI Down 0.1% In March 2025, China’s Consumer Price Index fell 0.1% YoY. Food prices dropped 1.4%, while service prices increased modestly. The data suggests cautious sentiment in consumer activity. Read more